10 SECONDS

with Nick MacGregor

One of the first things you work to perfect as a basketball player is your shot. It starts when you’re young; elbow in, knees bent, flick your wrist. As you progress, it begins to get tougher. You begin timing your shot, seeing how quickly you can get the ball out of your hands. You shoot off the dribble, off the pass, and in motion. You shoot to the point where you no longer have to think about it, and it becomes something of muscle memory.

When Plymouth State’s Nick MacGregor steps on the court, shooting is what he does best.

The senior forward shot just over 45% from the three-point line in the 2015-2016 season, and was able to connect on 31-63 shots from the floor. MacGregor isn’t a starter, or high-scorer. But what he does on the floor is enough to make him one of the biggest three-point threats every time he enters the game.

“The team elected Nick captain halfway through the season because of how hard he works,” said assistant head coach Nick Hercules. “He gives it all, day in and day out.”

A hard worker both on and off the court, the Spaulding native sets the standard student-athletes strive to follow. This week’s installment of 10 Seconds focuses on the career of Nick MacGregor.

When did you first start playing basketball?

Basketball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started playing competitive basketball around the age of 6 but I first started my career on my Little Tikes hoop and never looked back.

What athlete did you look up to as a kid?

My favorite athlete as a kid was Michael Jordan because he was the best basketball player of all time and we share the same birthday. I was also a big fan of Allen Iverson because he was extremely shifty and a lot of fun to watch.

How did you find out about Plymouth?

I firstbecameinterestedinPlymouth because my older brother went to school and played basketball here. He was a big reason why I decided on Plymouth because I never had the opportunity to play with him until my freshman year here.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years I see myself married, starting a family, working as a Physical Education teacher and high school basketball coach. I have always wanted to coach and that's something I am really excited about doing.

You're a pure shooter, and shooters are made in the offseason. How many shots would you say you take out of season?

Out of season I spend a lot of time in the gym working on my shot. I'd say that on average I would shoot at least 200 shots a day 5 days a week.

How do you see the rest of the season shaping up?

I strongly believe that we have the ability to win all of the remaining games we have left. This will lead us to the goal that we have had all season of earning a first round home playoff game. The great thing about our conference is that any team can win on any day. There are no teams that scare or intimidate us so the sky is the limit for our squad.

What's been your greatest memory at Plymouth State?

It's hard to pick just one memory as a favorite after my time here at Plymouth. If I had to narrow it down to just one I think it would have to be beating Eastern Connecticut State University my sophomore year and snapping their conference winning streak that lasted over a year.

What's your pregame ritual?

My pregame ritual is pretty simple. I listen to whatever music I'm in the mood for to get pumped up for the game and play online chess on my phone to keep my mind sharp.

What was your "welcome to college basketball" moment?

My "welcome to college basketball moment" came pretty early in my career. My freshman year we had 6 a.m. preseason lifts/conditioning that was pretty much mandated by our team captain. Also whenever we played pickup as a team the freshman never got picked and usually got stuck playing on the small side court the whole time. It was really important that we earned our stripes and looking back on it I am very grateful for that because it instilled in me that I need to work hard and earn everything I get.

What is the most important thing to take away from being a collegiate athlete?

The most important thing that I can take away from being a college athlete is the relationships formed with everybody that I have played with in my 4 years here. We spend so much time together during these long seasons that the bond we share goes deeper than being a teammate or friend. I consider my teammates to be my second family and I will always cherish the relationships I have made here.